Designed by Foster + Partners, the Khan Shatyr is a new entertainment and cultural center for the people of Astana.

Weather changes in Kazakhstan are extreme — the climates drops down to -35 degrees Celsius in winter and can reach +35 degrees in summer. The Khan Shatyr is designed as a sheltering environment that provides a place to have fun and get away from the heat or the cold. To achieve an energy-efficient climate-controlled area, the tent is covered in three layers of ETFE, which allows light to filter into the tent below. In the winter, ice formation is prevented on the inside layer through temperature control and directing warm air currents up the inner surface of the fabric. Then during the summer, fritting on the outermost foil layer provides solar shading and cool air is directed across the space and vents at the top allow hot air to escape.

The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, was on hand at the opening ceremonies, which coincided with the president’s 70th birthday and Astana Day. Fireworks and the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli celebrated the new entertainment center, which will serve as a new venue for the people of Astana to enjoy. Inside the 150 meter-tall tent are a wide variety of entertainment and leisure facilities, including retail, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, and flexible spaces that can accommodate a wide variety of activities. Will Webster, a freelance photographer seen over at BLDGBLOG, also shot some amazing pictures of the tent right before its opening.